


No Solid Ground Anymore

by alecsfrenchtoast (drcloyd), ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt Alec, Hurt Magnus Bane, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Protective Alec Lightwood, Protective Magnus Bane
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 09:09:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16261106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drcloyd/pseuds/alecsfrenchtoast, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: When Alec comes home worse for wear after tracking down a demon that seems to be impervious to his usual tactics, Magnus decides to go along on his next patrol to see if his magic can be of any help. Will it be too late by the time they realize that they might be in over their heads?





	No Solid Ground Anymore

Two days ago Alec had found himself face to face with an unknown demon in a Brooklyn alley. It was supposed to have been a routine patrol, but once he’d actually engaged the demon, he’d quickly found himself at a disadvantage. One entire quiver full of arrows, more injuries than he was entirely comfortable with and a night spent nursing them on Magnus’ sofa, and he was ready to go at it again. Unfortunately, Magnus had other ideas.

Magnus refused to let Alec leave for patrol unless he took him with him. He knew it was dangerous - he was the one who healed the extensive injuries the Shadowhunter came home with, after all. Still, he couldn't ignore the eagerness he felt at being able to go out and see what hunting down a demon in this particular fashion was like - a bit of an insider glimpse into what Alec did with most of the time he spent away from Magnus.  
  
It wasn't often that Magnus could help with any of the work-related problems in Alec's life since so much of it came up on the spot while he was out on patrol. This started off as one of those cases, but in the end turned into something that Alec decided to ask the warlock for help with, though not by choice. The demon seemed to have some sort of magic, so when Magnus suggested he could use his own magic to combat it, find a weakness or at least figure out more about it so they could find something Alec could use, Alec reluctantly agreed to let him help.  
  
For Magnus, the decision to go with wasn’t a decision at all. The idea of Alec going back out to track down something he already lost to once, remembering how much it pained him to see his boyfriend return home battered and bruised so much worse than usual... that wasn't something Magnus was going to let happen twice. If Alec's arrows and other Shadowhunter weapons were useless against it, going back after it was almost begging for more broken bones, or worse.  
  
And Magnus definitely couldn't handle the thought of 'worse'.

"My first 'mission'." Magnus said as they walked along the spot Alec saw the demon last. Since most of his clothing was too tight, or three-piece suits, he opted for a pair of only slightly-form-fitting jeans, black shoes, and a maroon and gold embellished silk shirt with a slight v-neck that allowed for several of his favorite necklaces to be showcased. It was functional and fabulous, his favorite clothing combination. "Do we get code names? Secret hand signals?" He was joking, of course, a small smirk on his face.

Alec hadn’t wanted to ask Magnus for help. As much as he liked the idea of going into battle as some sort of power couple, he’d barely made it out of his first encounter intact. He’d sustained more damage than he usually did on patrols; a concussion, a nasty web of bruises, a broken wrist, all things that an iratze and some healing magic from Magnus had fixed almost immediately, but he didn’t like the idea of Magnus being in danger.

Unfortunately, he also didn’t have any other choice. The demon had magic. Magnus had magic. He would at least be able to tell what kind of magic – hopefully – and perhaps find a way to defeat it. There was no way they could let it spend any more time in the city - its next attack might be on a mundane. He was on red alert as they made their way toward where it’d been last sighted. He kept his bow drawn, even though it’d done very little to deter the demon, scanning every shadow they passed.

“What?” he said, brows furrowed as he glanced over at Magnus, obviously distracted. And even if he wasn’t, he wasn’t sure what they’d need code names or hand signals for.

Magnus only shook his head. "Nothing, nevermind," he said, brushing the comment aside. He could take the hint that now wasn't the time for jokes and snide side-remarks. That was how he usually dealt with things of this nature, downplaying any severity or fear with casual jokes and lighthearted comments, but it was obvious that wouldn't work here.

He'd seen Alec like this before around the Institute, and it was obvious with how effortlessly he fell into the rhythm of tracking during patrol that this was the sort of environment he was used to. He hardly looked like he was trying as the pair went along, Alec looking for the same tracks and signs that he’d used to find this thing the first time around, and Magnus diligently by his side, ready for whenever he could be of use.

"Okay, so tell me again what we're looking for here." Magnus had been far more concerned with Alec himself than the details of the mission when Alec first told him about the demon, so a bit of a refresher on just what they were up against here would probably be helpful.

Alec continued searching the shadows, listening without turning his gaze toward Magnus. He had a seraph blade in his holster, the hand not holding his bow ready to reach for it, but the magic the demon had possessed meant that his weapons had very little effect on it.  
  
It was frustrating.  
  
“A demon, around seven feet tall. Looks sort of mundane-ish, but it moves too fast. Like a vampire...but not.” He wasn’t sure how to describe the movement. Jerkier than the smooth _here and then not here_ of a vampire. “It’s dark – a sort of....shiny black...like oil, almost,” he said, still looking around. He’d made sure all his runes were ready to go on the way out and he strained his enhanced hearing for the slightest noise that wasn’t either of their footsteps.  
  
Magnus listened to the description again, more than a little impressed with how easily the information and actions came from Alexander. He was in his element, runes activated, attention focused on the area around them and somehow seeming to take in everything all at once. It was fascinating, and the look of admiration on Magnus's face while he listened and followed the Shadowhunter's lead was noticeable. "You make this look so easy," Magnus pointed out in awe, as if they weren't both aware of Alec's skill. Still, he liked to point those things out whenever he could. Magnus caught the little moments of doubt and hesitation Alec had, often when talking about his own actions in fights or on patrol, and it was Magnus's sworn duty as his boyfriend to constantly remind him that he was amazing.  
  
Unfortunately that moment was short-lived when, as if somehow summoned by the mere description of itself, the demon made its presence known. It was far more terrifying than Alec's description let on, its inky black body seeming to shift in the bits of light that caught it and managing to look fluid despite the jerky movements. The combination left a very unnatural, unsettling feeling in the core of him immediately which refused to go away.  
  
Half a second before the demon appeared, Alec turned toward the shadows, Magnus’ compliments forgotten as he drew his bow - the motion easy, and familiar, much like the way Magnus made his magic look easy, even when he was raising wards to protect his entire building. Magnus was beside him in moments, arms raised out in front of him with palms facing out with a ruby-red glow of magic at the ready. All the while Magnus carefully shifted his attention between the demon and Alec, wanting to make sure Alec didn't get hurt again.

The ruby-red burn of Magnus’ magic was reassuring to Alec, though the vague feeling of being useless as he kept his arrow notched ate at him.

The thing tilted its head in his direction and Alec swallowed. The way it moved was unsettling. Different from any demon he’d ever seen. He adjusted his grip on the bow – it’d been when he’d fired the last time the thing had attacked, appearing behind him as soon as he’d let go of the string.

“Last time, it came at me when I moved,” Alec warned, voice low.

Magnus took the warning with a subtle nod of his head. It was fast, and while he could follow the movements all it would take was one moment of distraction to lose sight of the demon. This was not something he wanted out of his sight for even a fraction of a second, not even to blink. But blink he did, and just as quickly as he'd flung the magic at the demon it moved out of the line of fire.

Alec kept his bow raised as Magnus threw his magic toward the creature, his heart rate steadily increasing. He hadn’t been afraid before, not in the heat of the ‘battle’ when his mind had been preoccupied thinking of what move to make next, and then preoccupied with thoughts of _how the hell do I get away from this thing oh shit am I bleeding_? but here? Now? He could only think about Magnus and how he suddenly wished he wasn’t here with him. Not when he was in so much danger.

Magnus heeded Alec’s words, spinning around to hurl another blast of magic behind him, anticipating the demon’s move. The next wave of magic connected, prompting the creature to let out an ear-splitting noise. Magnus gave a grunt as he instinctively brought a hand up to his ear to block the sound. Alec grimaced, shoulder coming up toward his ear though he refused to let his grip on his bow alter even a millimeter. At least they knew Magnus’ magic could hurt it, though to what degree it was impossible to discern.

Magnus was no stranger to being in dangerous situations. He did his fair share of tracking down threats to the Accords, mostly those of the Downworlder variety, but also the occasional work with demons; and given who his father was, well, he was no stranger to even the most powerful of Edom’s creatures from their own world. Unfortunately that didn't make him an expert when it came to this sort of situation - usually the work he did would be done with more than one warlock present, as a backup. He had Alec, of course, but with the bow and arrow and other Shadowhunter weapons having minimal effect they both had to admit it was not the most effective help.

The demon was gone again, slipping back into the very shadows it emerged from. Magnus thought he caught it's oily sheen shifting in the patches of darkness but it was hard to tell exactly where besides the occasional echo of the clicking noises. "I think you need a new line of work," Magnus suggested, a nervous, tense edge to his voice.

Alec shifted, moving so his back was against Magnus’ – at least they could protect from two fronts. Maybe. “They’re usually easier to kill,” Alec grunted, tensing as the clicking sound came closer.

A sudden movement in the dark had him shooting an arrow on instinct, and in the moment he could feel a slight breeze as the creature rocketed by him, the faintest kiss of claws sheering the front of his shirt, leaving behind a thin, stinging line.

The thing was toying with them.

“Magnus,” he hissed, because it seemed like it’d be heading toward him next.

Alec said his name in warning but Magnus, hearing the pain in the word as it was spoken, made the mistake of turning to look at his boyfriend to see if he was hurt instead of keeping his eyes in front of him. No sooner had his back turned did he feel it - the slice of sharp claws down his back, straight down his spine, tearing through his shirt and into his skin.

They shouldn’t have come here. It was too much – this demon, it wasn’t anything they could handle on their own. The realization was sinking in, lead forming in the pit of Alec’s stomach. But he wasn’t about to give up – his bow still raised. He caught the demon’s movement out of the corner of his eye, the sound of tearing fabric and then the world exploded with magic – Magnus’ magic. Normally, the smell was familiar, comforting, but this was different – more overwhelming, and it sent a wave of fear clear down to his toes.

Magnus spun around wildly, magic flying out in the direction the demon had been only a split second before, but of course it was already gone. "Dammit!" In frustration he aimed several wild attacks in a semi-circle around where he and Alec stood, literally firing shots in the dark in the hopes that one might hit the demon by chance.

This seemed impossible, and that was with the pair of them working together side-by-side, each having the other's back. Magnus couldn't even imagine how terrifying this must have been for Alexander the night he was out here entirely alone. He took the moment of retreat from the demon to recollect himself, but something felt wrong. The scratches down his spine stung more than simple cuts... they almost seemed to sting straight through to his chest, though he was certain they weren't that deep. Perhaps it was just the anxiety of the situation...

“Magnus!” There didn’t seem to be anything else he could say except his boyfriend’s name, as it steadily became apparent that the demon was just going to toy with them. Alec watched as one of the balls of magic struck a dark shape head-on, and there was that ear-splitting screech again, but it didn’t collapse or disappear into a puff of smoke.

No it seemed angrier, letting out another screech before slinking into the shadows.

Alec let loose another arrow trying to keep its attention from zeroing in on either one of them. He heard the sound of the arrow hitting the ground and then all was silent. The demon had gone quiet, the darkness utterly still around them. Alec strained to hear anything in the dark but there was only silence. The seconds ticked on into minutes and Alec frowned. “Do you think –“ he started, wondering if the beast had retreated to regroup.

The pair stood back-to-back again, eyes scanning their surroundings in a full circle, listening and watching for any signs that the demon was still there lurking just beyond their vision. But it didn't attack again, and for a creature that could move as quickly as it did it was entirely possible that it was half a town away by now. Magnus’ guard dropped as Alec spoke what he was thinking, that maybe it was gone, at least for now, and turned to agree. The look that crossed Alec's face the instant he did was all Magnus needed to know what was behind him. His hand shot out, not with magic but to try and grab hold of Alexander.

Alec had only turned his head to look over his shoulder for a second to meet Magnus’ gaze and it was enough to see the shadows rise up, the blurry, frightening shape of the creature barreling out and sweeping Magnus back into the shadows. He had only the fleeting feeling of Magnus' hand against his as he reached out to grab ahold of him, before he was clutching empty air.

“Magnus!”

Alec could hear the awful, shrieking cries of the demon and he struggled to follow, the skull splitting sounds making it hard to move.

They were gone, the demon pulling Magnus off into the shadows and Alec was out of sight. Magnus didn't even have time to call his name before he was taken, though he could hear the soft echoes of his own name reaching his ears, muffled by the cries of both the demon and himself. Magnus wasn't about to go without a fight. In the short period of time he was dragged away, Magnus used the close range to give everything he had in several explosive attacks. It was hurt, more and more each time, but it wasn't enough in the short, panicked bursts that Magnus was using it. He needed something big.

And the moment Magnus stopped attacking it to build up that something big was the moment it stopped running with him, throwing him down hard onto the ground. He felt his ankle twist, a fracture if not worse, though he ignored it as he struggled to pull himself back up into a standing position. Blood seeped from claw-holes in his sides and scratches on his neck, the demon being far from gentle in anything it did with him.

That was when he felt it. Not the physical wounds (though he felt those plenty), but something else. The something _'wrong'_ he noticed earlier. The more he tried to gather up his magic for one last, big shot, the faster he felt it fading from him entirely. It was being drained, blocked somehow, and Magnus Bane felt a flash of panic and fear that he hadn't experienced in centuries, because what was he without his magic?

He didn't want to find out.

Alec's silhouette was visible now, having tracked them this far, and the demon shifted its attention to a direct dive on the Shadowhunter as he approached. _Alexander_. The demon wasn't going to get another chance to hurt him, or anyone else, not so long as the High Warlock of Brooklyn had a breath left to draw. He needed to do what he came here to do and end this before it escaped to kill again.  

Magnus didn't yell out a warning. There wasn’t any time. Instead he reacted instinctively to conjure a portal barely a foot in front of Alec that the demon, moving impossibly fast, couldn't stop itself from hurtling straight through -

\- only to come out directly in front of Magnus who shot the strongest beam of magic he possibly could with every last ounce of energy he had reserved straight into the demon's chest. The magic hit but not fast enough: Magnus realized too late that he hadn’t given enough space between the portal and himself as as the demon's claws - originally intended for Alec's own heart - pierced through Magnus's right shoulder as the pair collapsed to the ground simultaneously.

**_  
\---_ **

  
The sight of Magnus’ magic, moving through the dark tore at something inside Alec’s chest. He struggled forward, one hand to his ear, the other wrapped tightly around his bow as he fought to follow the sound and the momentary flashes of magic. It wasn’t enough to see what was happening, but it was enough to give Alec somewhere to aim for. And then they stopped and Alec stared into the dark, his heart in his throat, feeling like he couldn’t quite catch his breath.

“Magnus!” He wasn’t sure if he was actually calling his name, or if it was just inside his head, but he kept going. He was the reason Magnus was here and he couldn’t – he was going to find him and he was going to send that demon back to hell or wherever it had come from. The screeching quieted, but it wasn’t silent, and Alec followed those sounds, sure that he could see something in the dark.

And then he did see something.

The shadows, growing darker right in front of him, and then a blinding purple light.

A portal.

Magnus’ portal.

For half a second Alec thought it was okay. Magnus was going to portal the demon away, it’d be alright. Instead he watched in horror as the other side of the portal appeared behind Magnus – and by the Angel he wished that the light was not so illuminating, his eyes wide and horrified at the sight of Magnus, clothes torn, blood seeping from wounds Alec could see plainly and some he couldn’t.

“Magnus!” he cried, the sound of his voice drowned out by the terrible shriek made by the demon as a massive blast of magic caught it in the chest, and as the light of the portals faded it was just enough for Alec to see the claws skewer Magnus – to watch Magnus topple to the ground along with that _thing_. Alec was surging forward before he knew what his feet were doing, hand scrambling in his pocket to produce his witchlight - the bright white light filling the area.

He wished it hadn’t.

“Magnus!” he cried and he was sure that was the only word he knew anymore, the only thing that could come out of his mouth as he collapsed to his knees in front of the warlock, hands shakily hovering over him, afraid to touch.“Magnus please, please be okay, Magnus.....” he said, words tumbling through his lips, his breathing uneven – but it wasn’t the pleasant breathlessness that had befallen him when he’d first met Magnus, hyper aware of his presence, but instead an overwhelming terror.

He didn’t know what to do. “Magnus I don’t – “ he said, staring down at him – did he remove the demon claws? The creature was dead, a crater through it’s very center – but its claws were still embedded in Magnus. Did he take them out?

“Magnus...” his words felt tight, his mind scrambling to do something, anything, but all he could do was shift, trying to gently maneuver so he could put his jacket under Magnus’ head.

"Alexander." The word came out in a shuddering breath, the corners of his lips trying very hard to smile in relief though the most they could do was twitch slightly before curling back down into a grimace. The sight of Alec alive, unharmed and running over to kneel beside him, was all Magnus needed to justify every last action he took in the heat of the moment. Knowing that the portal was enough to save Alec put his mind at ease and he allowed his eyes to close slowly for several long seconds before opening again.

Alec was saying his name over, and over, and over, and Magnus wished more than anything he could do something to reassure him... but anything he said along those lines would be a blatant lie. Magnus was far from okay, both physically and in regards to his magic. He could feel something foreign invading his body, seeming to flow through his bloodstream as it reached every extremity. Very slowly he could feel the sense of paralysis start to settle in, and he followed Alec's panicked gaze to the claws still in his shoulder. "Take them out," he managed, words quiet. The claws, the scratches... he'd noticed it from those first scratches down his back. "I think it’s some... sort of poison..."

But that didn't make any sense. His thoughts were growing cloudy, floating incoherently around his head, and he struggled to make sense of them through the pain and the dizziness settling in from the loss of blood. He felt empty, more empty than he'd ever felt before, because he could no longer feel an ounce of his own magic inside of him. This was different than anything he'd ever experienced before - it wasn't just depleted, it was entirely gone. "My magic--" His words were choked now, barely audible and unable to relay the train of thought that was running through his head. If Alec hadn't figured it out already he would. And if there wasn't time to...

"I love you." If this poison was fatal - because he now had no doubt that it was a poison coursing through his veins, even as the last of his consciousness faded away, and he wasn't about to waste his last breath on talk of demons and magic. If the last thing he did was take out a demon to save the life of the man he loved, well, Magnus Bane could think of worse ways to go.  


_**\---** _

  
Poison? That wasn’t – it didn’t make sense; how could it be poison when Alec was fine? Sure, he’d gotten some pretty nasty wounds when he’d fought it but it hadn’t been - it hadn’t been like this. The stinging was barely background noise, he couldn’t even feel it. He had to lean forward in order to hear what Magnus was saying, breath stilling in his chest because he couldn’t miss a single syllable. Not one thing. His magic – Alec’s brow furrowed, one of his hands coming up to rest against Magnus’ cheek for a brief moment, though he feared he was hurting him and it didn’t stay long. The massive burst of magic – it’d been unlike anything Alec had seen from the warlock, and that coupled with the portal, Alec – by the Angel, Magnus must not have anything left.

The thought drew the fear ever higher, his throat tight, panic clawing at his insides even as he tried to fight it back. He had to – he had to do something. A cold shock went through Alec at Magnus’ words – not because he didn’t enjoy hearing them, no every time Magnus told him he loved him it was something to be treasured, a moment Alec made sure he remembered, each and every time, but not here, not right now. Those words right now meant something Alec could not accept.  

“No – Magnus don’t – “ Alec pleaded, and he tried as gently as he could to remove the demon claws as quickly as possible, his hands shaking as he tried to cover the hole they left behind. “Please, please Magnus I can’t –“ he said, the words thick in his throat, one blood covered hand coming up to press over Magnus’ heart, like he could will the muscle to beat with the strength of his fear, like he could give everything he had to Magnus so he wouldn’t leave. “My strength, Magnus,” he said, voice soft, wrecked, he felt like he was on the edge of a cliff, about to fall, the terror in the pit of his stomach overwhelming. He’d only felt it once before, terror like this, searching for Magnus after Valentine’s attack, but this was worse.

“Take it, please,” he begged. “I love you, Magnus, you can’t leave me.” Magnus was supposed to be the immortal one. Alec was the one who was supposed to die one day, and he was sure it wouldn’t have been old age, but he wasn’t – Magnus was _forever_ he couldn’t be gone. He’d always been so composed in battle – Alec was a soldier, he fought, that was what he did, but he couldn’t think to be remotely stoic in this moment.

Magnus didn't know what was happening to him. The uncertainty of it was the worst part, not knowing for sure if he was dying or if this was something he could recover from; not wanting to tell Alec everything would be alright when he was entirely clueless and the Shadowhunter’s guess as to what he should do next was just as good as his. This was uncharted territory and he had no precedent for it.

Magnus’ heart broke at Alec's pain, wanting more than anything to be able to take that from him instead of the strength he was offering. Instead the warlock could take neither, even if he wanted to. He shook his head slowly to try and convey that but he knew it wasn't enough. His entire body tensed as the claw was removed, Alec's hands holding down the place it was moments before. It wasn't enough to help, too much of whatever was affecting him was already making its way through Magnus's body. He could feel it, moving like a foreign invader through his veins, seeping into every crevice of his being, filling the emptiness left behind at the loss of his magic.

Now Alec was begging him not to leave and Magnus wanted to reach out and hold him, to fight whatever was wrong with him and walk back to their home together, worse for wear but otherwise alive and well. He wanted to tell him over and over again that he loved him, that this was never what he wanted to happen and that seeing Alec this tormented was a worse pain than dying a hundred deaths... but that he would gladly die a hundred more deaths if it meant giving Alec even one more second of life. Instead all he could do was lay there, looking up helplessly into Alec's pained expression, battling the unconsciousness he felt swiftly approaching. _'You can't leave me.'_ "I'm not..." he started saying, voice barely a whisper before the last of his strength left him and his words fell off, eyes drifting closed and body falling very still.

His heartbeat and pulse were still there, slow and irregular and weak, but there. Otherwise, Magnus was entirely catatonic.

**Author's Note:**

> I was thrilled that Loren agreed to take this little thing she and I wrote as Alec and Magnus and edit it into our first attempt at a fic collaboration! We hope it turned out well, and with any luck we'll have a follow-up coming to you sometime soon! <3 
> 
> Find us on tumblr at [AlecsFrenchToast](http://alecsfrenchtoast.tumblr.com) and [ByTheAngell](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com)!


End file.
